


When the Past Holds the Future

by queenmidalah



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-13
Updated: 2014-06-13
Packaged: 2018-02-04 11:54:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1778095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/queenmidalah/pseuds/queenmidalah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jemma Simmons finds herself in the 1940s thanks to a mishap with an 084. What she doesn't expect is to find her future in the past.</p>
            </blockquote>





	When the Past Holds the Future

**Author's Note:**

> This was one of those "hey let's see where I can go with THIS idea" type of fics. Hopefully I was able to do it justice.

_“Simmons, get away…”_

_“Jemma!”_

_“Grab--.”_

Jemma Simmons jerked awake with a gasp, her head fuzzy. She blinked a few times, looking around at the room she was in.

“Easy,” a soft female British accent said. “You hit your head pretty hard when you landed.”

Jemma turned her head to look at where the voice came from. She immediately recognized Agent Peggy Carter, one of the founding members of SHIELD. And someone more personal to Jemma herself.

“Where am I?” she asked.

“I think the better question,” a male voice with a Southern accent said. “Is when are you?”

Jemma shifted to look where the voice came from. Colonel Chester Phillips; yet another of the founding members of SHIELD. Whatever she had fallen through had obviously brought her to the past.

“Why… why would you say that?” Jemma asked.

“A few things,” Phillips said. “First off, your clothing and a few of the items we found on your person.”

“Including identification of who you are that listed your date of birth,” Peggy said.

Jemma’s eyes closed. “Oh.” Her eyes opened again, a frown forming. “You do not seem surprised.”

“Considering what we are facing with Hydra at the moment, it hardly seems out of the realm of possibility,” Peggy said.

“I suppose that--,” Jemma started then stopped as she tried to rise and found herself tied to the bed. “What?”

“As Agent Carter said,” Phillips said. “Considering what we are facing with Hydra, we must consider many things are not out of the realm of possibility.”

“I’m not Hydra,” Jemma said immediately.

“A Hydra agent would say that,” Phillips said.

“Actually, they wouldn’t,” Jemma said. “They would proudly admit who they were.”

Peggy glanced at Phillips before looking at Jemma once more. “You sound like you have experience of some sort,” she said.

“You could say that,” Jemma said. “But if I truly am in the past and this isn’t some vivid hallucination from the 084 I was inspecting before I woke up here, I cannot go into detail. Not without changing history.”

“What is a 084?” Phillips asked.

“Let’s just say it is what the object that Johann Schmitt is in possession of and what he is using to create Hydra weapons,” Jemma said. “We now know it is called the--.”

“Tesseract,” Peggy said.

“Yes,” Jemma said. “Look, you can believe what you saw or not. I can’t go into any other details without inadvertently changing history and I won’t do that.”

“So what do you do for this… SHIELD?” Phillips asked as he nodded to Peggy. The British woman leaned over to release Jemma’s bonds.

“I’m a scientist,” Jemma said, rubbing her wrist. “A biochemist to be specific and I have medical training.”

“Good,” Phillips said. “Because until we can figure out how to get you back, if we can get you back, you are stuck here. And we could use another scientist.”

~~

**November 1943**

Jemma had read about the effects World War II had on the world from her grandparents. The fact that one of said grandparents was now becoming a close friend, even though she knew that Peggy was also basically Jemma’s handler to ensure that she wasn’t Hydra, seemed very odd to her now.

It had been almost three months since she had found herself in the past. They had quickly put her to work in the science division of the Strategic Scientific Reserve. She was also often in the field with Peggy and Phillips in order to handle medical emergencies.

This is how she first met Steve Rogers and James Buchanan Barnes officially. Peggy had confided that she felt guilty that Steve was missing after she and Howard Stark had assisted him in getting him behind enemy lines when Steve made it known he was determined to go find Bucky Barnes and the other four hundred men that had been captured.

She heard the commotion from the medical tent, stepping out into the cool November air as the rest of the 107th also exited their various tents. She saw Phillips and Peggy walking quickly towards where people were gathering and quickly headed over to them. That’s when she saw the very image she had only heard about in stories. Leading the pack of hundreds of men in a torn leather jacket was Captain America himself. His best friend, Bucky Barnes, bruised and dirty walked proudly beside him on his left, the rest of who would become the Howling Commandos behind them.

“Some of these men need medical attention,” Steve was saying as Jemma joined the group, moving over to the men as did many other nurses. “I’d like to surrender myself for disciplinary action.”

“That won’t be necessary,” Phillips said.

“Yes, sir,” Steve said with a bit of a smile. Jemma moved even closer, even as Phillips turned to Peggy.

“Faith, huh?” Peggy didn’t respond as Phillips moved away from the group.

“You’re late,” Peggy said immediately stepping up to Steve.

Steve lifted the small radio Peggy had given him, a large hole through it. “Couldn’t call my ride.”

“Hey!” Bucky called. “Let’s hear it for Captain America!” He took a moment to applaud his friend, the rest of the crowd cheering as well. He turned his head to see who stood behind him, his hands pausing mid clap as he made eye contact with Jemma. She gave him a soft smile.

“Come with me,” Jemma said. “I’ll take a look at…”

“Others are more hurt than me,” Bucky said. “I can be seen to later.” A grin started to form as he saw her lips purse but she nodded. Oh he was going to make sure to see her later, that was for certain.

~~

Jemma rubbed tiredly at her neck as the last man left the medical tent. Not quite four hundred men, as some hadn’t made it out due to Hydra’s weapons, but a good deal of them had. She and the rest of the medical team had looked over every single one of them since they returned.

“Knock, knock,” a voice said.

Jemma turned to see Bucky pushing the flap aside into the tent. His hair was still slightly damp from a recent shower and he was in fresh clothes. He looked a lot better than he had when she first saw him.

“Sergeant… Barnes?” Jemma guessed. “Is all well?”

“Yeah,” Bucky answered both questions. “Just came to see if you were free.”

“Me?” she asked surprised.

“Yes, you,” he said with a bit of a grin. “Know how busy all of you were making sure we were all right. I saw you working when I was being checked out earlier.”

“Oh…” Jemma said. “Yes, we were quite busy.”

“So figured I’d come see if you were free now. Maybe we could grab a ration can or two.”

He couldn’t help but laugh as Jemma’s nose wrinkled in disgust. He had no way of knowing that the thought in her head was that she missed food from the future, but even without that knowledge, Bucky had to agree; rations were not the most tasty of things to have.

“How about just some tea instead?” Jemma suggested. “You should probably get some rest. I hear we are heading back to England in the morning.”

“Are you as well?” Bucky asked as he slipping his hands into his pockets.

“I am,” Jemma said as she pulled her medical apron off. “I’m on Colonel Phillips’ team along with Agent Carter, so where they go. I go.”

Bucky grinned at her. “Well then I hope to see you in England a bit more. But for now, how about that tea?”

~~

“This’ll be your room,” Peggy said. The SSR had acquired an old mansion to serve as their home of sorts for the duration, allowing everyone on the immediate team to have their own room- including Captain America and the members of the Howling Commandos who had just formed the night before.

“Thanks,” Jemma said, setting her bag down. She glanced at the door before looking at Peggy.

“I’ve been working on the schematics to figure out if I can find a way to get back, but still haven’t had much success,” she said to her grandmother. A fact she hadn’t shared, nor would she share, with Peggy.

“I thought not,” Peggy said quietly. “If you had, I am sure you would’ve said.”

“It’s possible I won’t be able to…” Jemma stopped speaking as two men appeared near her door as they walked past, pausing as they noticed the two women.

Peggy turned and smiled at the men. “Captain, Sergeant,” she said to Steve and Bucky.

“Agent Carter,” Steve said. He recognized Jemma from seeing her occasionally with Bucky but hadn’t formally met her yet. The two men stepped back as Peggy and Jemma stepped out of Jemma’s room.

“Steve, this is Jemma Simmons,” Bucky introduced. “Jemma, this is my best friend, Steve Rogers. Also known as Captain America.”

Jemma reached out a hand to shake Steve’s. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Captain,” she said. _At least officially and without you being unconscious after being frozen for seventy years_ , she thought to herself.

“Pleasure’s mine,” Steve said. “Bucky’s told me a lot about you.”

Jemma glanced at the other man, who was actually blushing a little. A soft smile formed at the corner of her lips. “Has he?”

“Yep,” Steve said, also grinning when he noticed his friend blushing.

“Well, now that we’ve thoroughly managed to embarrass me,” Bucky admitted. “I think we should take these ladies out to dinner.”

“While I’d like to,” Peggy said. “Captain Rogers and I have a meeting with Colonel Phillips.”

“We should probably head to that,” Steve admitted. He glanced at Bucky. “See you later.”

“You too,” Bucky said. He was silent until Peggy and Steve had left before looking at Jemma. 

“Would you like you to go to dinner with me?” he asked.

Jemma smiled softly. “I’d be delighted.”

~~

**February 1944**

Jemma’s eyes fluttered closed as she felt a familiar pair of lips pressing against her cheek as she went over a report that Peggy had given her earlier in the day. She turned her head to look into the smiling blue eyes of the man she was quickly falling in love with.

“You’re back,” she said wistfully, turning fully to wrap her arms around Bucky.

“I am,” he said, hugging her close. She could smell his aftershave and felt the ends of his hair were still damp.

“How long?” she asked.

“Long enough to shower,” Bucky said, pulling back to brush his thumb against her cheek. “Didn’t want to come to you with the stink of war on me.”

“I thank you for that,” Jemma admitted. She had to smell it enough on the soldiers she treated, or the officers she listened to during debriefing. She liked to associate much more pleasant things to Bucky when they were together than the war.

“Come on,” Bucky said, pulling her to her feet. “Let’s get something to eat. It’s been too long since I’ve been able to spend time with you.”

Jemma wasn’t one to protest as he pulled her out of her office.

~~

“Still nothing?” Peggy asked Jemma as they had tea in Peggy’s room.

“Still nothing,” Jemma sighed, stirring her tea.

“Jemma… can I ask you an honest question?” Peggy asked.

“Of course,” Jemma said.

Peggy took a moment, gauging the best way to ask her the question. Finally she looked straight into Jemma’s eyes.

“Are you truly looking or are you stalling because of your feelings for Bucky?” she asked.

Jemma blinked. She had to admit that it was a valid question to ask. She shook her head.

“I am not stalling,” she said. “I am truly having a difficult time finding a way back.” She set her teacup down.

“It’s almost as if I am supposed to be here until whatever sent me back is ready to take me back,” Jemma said. “And I don’t know what that is.”

Peggy frowned. “You think there is a purpose for you being here?”

“I have no idea,” Jemma said. “And I admit, that not knowing is the biggest thing I dislike in situations like this.”

She rose, immediately beginning to pace. Her gait was obviously frustrated.

“What is it?” Peggy asked.

“I know too much,” Jemma said. She glanced at Peggy, frowning. “I feel like I am living on borrowed time.”

Peggy mirrored her frown, rising to walk over to Jemma. “What do you mean?” she asked.

Jemma swallowed, shaking her head. “I… can’t tell you,” she said.

“You know something of what… stupid comment, of course you do,” Peggy said. “Is there anything…?”

Jemma shook her head. “No,” she said quietly. There was so much sorrow in her voice that Peggy couldn’t help but hug Jemma close.

~~

**May 1944**

Jemma closed her eyes and leaned into Bucky’s embrace as they slowly danced to the soft music that was playing below on the record player. The voices of the other Howling Commandos also floated up, loud and boisterous as they drank and celebrated bringing down more Hydra bases. Bucky had immediately found Jemma to spend time with.

“I hate being away from you for months at a time right now,” Bucky murmured against her ear.

“It can’t be helped,” Jemma said softly, curling her fingers around his as they swayed to the music.

“I know,” Bucky said with a soft sigh. “You are much more understanding than most women.”

“How so?” Jemma asked, looking up at him.

“A few guys in the 107th; they’ve gotten Dear John letters from their ladies,” he said.

Jemma’s forehead puckered into a frown. She slowly shook her head. “That is horrible,” she said. “I could never…”

“I know,” Bucky said. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, smoothing the frown with his lips. “I know.”

Jemma’s fingers tightened on Bucky’s as his head shifted until their foreheads rested against one another. She could never think of sending such an atrocious thing to him. Especially as she attempted to ignore the dates on the calendar as each one passed far too quickly.

~~

**August 1944**

“I told you to be more careful,” Jemma admonished Gabe Jones as she stitched up his arm. She had a fondness for the man, knowing that he was Tripp’s grandfather.

“Well you know me,” Gabe said with a grin. “Never can stay out of trouble.”

“Hm mm,” Jemma tsked. “You and the rest of the group.”

“Does that include me?” Bucky asked with a grin as he stepped into the tent.

“Sometimes I think that goes double for you and for Steve,” Jemma said fondly to the man she was quickly falling for more and more. She tried to push it out of her mind what was to happen in just a few short months. She hated thinking of it, but she knew she had to and soon.

“Got me squared away, Doc?” Gabe asked as Jemma bandaged his arm.

She fastened off the end of the gauze before nodding to the man. “You are all set,” she said.

Gabe shrugged his button up shirt back on, grabbing his gear. He nodded to Bucky before slipping out of the tent, leaving the British woman alone with the other man. He walked over and slipped his arms around Jemma’s waist, kissing her neck. He couldn’t help but smile as she melted back against him.

“Have time for some dinner with me?” he asked.

“Always.”

~~

**October 28, 1944**

“Jemma,” Bucky said, surprised to see his lady love as he walked into his room.

“Sorry,” Jemma said. “I know you have a mission tomorrow, but I wanted to--.”

“No,” Bucky said quickly, setting his things down and moving over to her. “Don’t apologize. I’m… I’m glad you are here.” He frowned when he noticed how pale she was.

“Jem, what’s wrong?” he asked her, reaching for her hands.

Jemma swallowed hard. This was one of those moments she hated about being from the future; knowing that the mission Bucky Barnes would go on the next day was the very mission where everyone believed him to have died after falling from a train, only to be found by HYDRA and forged into a weapon.

“I… just have a bad feeling,” she finally said quietly. She had tried to guard her heart so carefully after Bucky had taken a shine to her and asked her out on a date shortly after they met. Yet she knew it was impossible and that her heart was firmly his now. To let him go tomorrow knowing his fate was breaking her heart into a million pieces. Because despite what she knew from the future; she and Peggy were no closer than they were a year ago from finding out how to get her back to the future where she belonged.

“A bad feeling about what?” Bucky asked, his hands taking hers.

“That I’ll never see you again,” she said her voice catching.

“You will,” Bucky said, his mouth quirking slightly. “I’ll come back to you, you know that.”

 _No, you won’t_ , Jemma’s inner voice said. Tears formed in her eyes and one slipped onto her cheek, startling Bucky. He immediately reached up and brushed it off of her cheekbone.

“Jem--,” Bucky started.

“I love you,” Jemma whispered. It was the first time she admitted her feelings to him. Another tear slipped down her cheek as she stared into Bucky’s eyes. His beautiful blue eyes that she adored with everything in her. If she was honest, she had adored them even in images she had seen of him from the old files that SHIELD had. Pictures that hadn’t done them justice.

Bucky’s other hand rose and he cupped her face, brushing his thumbs over her cheeks. “I love you too, Jemma,” he said quietly. “I’m coming back to you, I promise. We’ve got too much ahead of us for me not to.”

A soft sob escaped Jemma’s lips as she pressed her forehead to Bucky’s, her hands moving to his chest. Her fingers fisted into the lapels of his blue jacket; the same jacket she had seen so many times at the Smithsonian in the future when she had the chance to go to the Captain America exhibit. 

“Don’t leave me,” she whispered. “Please.” She knew she shouldn’t attempt to change history, but she didn’t want to lose Bucky.

“Jemma, you know I have to go,” he whispered back to her.

“No,” Jemma said. “No, Steve has the others he--.”

“He needs me there too,” Bucky whispered. “I promise you I am coming back.”

Jemma squeezed her eyes shut. The more he made that promise, the more it broke her heart. She pushed past his hands, pressing her lips to his. She felt his eyelashes brush her cheeks as he closed his eyes and returned the kiss. She pressed herself as close to him as she could, her arms wrapping around him.

Bucky hated pushing her away, but he needed to for a moment. The kiss was quickly turning quite heated, and while he would love nothing more than to take her to his bed, they had yet to go that far in their relationship.

“Jemma…”

“Make love to me, Bucky,” Jemma whispered. She rested her forehead against his again. “Please.”

“Are you sure?” Bucky asked carefully.

“I am,” she said. “I… I want to forget about the war. Forget about Hydra and just focus on you and I tonight. I want to show you how much I love you.”

Bucky lifted his hand and brushed a lock of hair away from her face, his fingers tingling as they brushed her skin as well. He knew from the moment he had met her almost a year ago that he was in love with her. He rarely had believed in love at first sight, until he had met Jemma. He wouldn’t, couldn’t, deny her anything that she wanted. It broke his heart knowing he couldn’t skip the mission for her, but he could give her tonight.

“Always, love,” he said quietly. He shifted his head, capturing her lips again with his own. He felt her nimble fingers start to work at the buttons of his jacket, slipping them from their holes before parting the material and pushing it off of his shoulders.

The two quickly shed one another’s clothing before Bucky was laying Jemma back on the bed, his lips trailing over every inch of skin he possibly could touch along the way. Jemma’s fingers moved with as much purpose as his lips did, memorizing every inch of his body.

Bucky hovered over Jemma, lowering his head to capture her lips even as he settled his hips between hers. He shifted before he slid the length of his cock into her. He felt her sigh against his lips, one of her legs lifting to drape around his waist. Jemma’s arms came around him, drawing him down to press against the length of her body.

He pulled his hips back before moving to slide into her again. A soft, pleased moan slipped from her throat. He found an easy rhythm, a smooth give and take as he slid back and forth inside of her. The feeling was exquisite, the sound of her moans simply intensifying the feeling.

It felt like all too soon that she was coming apart in his arms. He pressed his face into the crook of her neck as his hips began to move faster before he growled and found his release deep inside of her.

Slipping to Jemma’s side, Bucky gathered her close, pressing a kiss to her hair. She shifted to face him, reaching to stroke his cheeks with her fingers.

“Why do I get the feeling you aren’t done with me yet?” Bucky asked her, a soft smile quirking the corners of his mouth.

“Because I’m not,” Jemma admitted, capturing his lips in a kiss. A soft frown formed as Bucky felt her lips tremble, but he didn’t question her about it, not as her hands began to wander. He focused his attentions solely on her as they came together over and over throughout the night.

~~

**October 30, 1944**

Jemma stood on the balcony that overlooked the gardens outside of Bucky’s room. She had remained in his room since the night they spent together. That’s where Peggy found her.

“Jemma,” Peggy said, her voice cracking. “I… I have some…”

“Bucky’s gone.” Her voice was soft and full of pain.

Peggy walked over and stood beside her. She looked at the other woman’s profile, noting how pale she was.

“You knew,” Peggy said softly. “You knew since the moment you met him and yet…”

Jemma turned her head, looking at Peggy. “I fell in love with him anyway,” she whispered. Tears that had been building in her eyes finally slipped onto her cheeks. “I knew what was to happen and I still fell in love with him.”

Peggy quickly put her arms around Jemma. Her resolve broke and she began to sob against her grandmother’s shoulder. Her heart was shattered in a way she never thought possible and immediately knew how her grandmother would feel in a few short months when Steve Rogers would be lost to Peggy forever.

~~

“Jemma?” Steve asked as he knocked on Bucky’s door. Peggy had long since left the other woman to her grief.

“Steve…” Jemma got to her feet.

“Don’t stand,” he said, moving into the room. He walked over to her, hugging her close.

“How are you?” he asked her.

“I should be asking you that,” Jemma said, her voice catching.

“Probably about the same as you,” Steve said. When Jemma pulled back, she saw the tears in his eyes.

“I can’t believe he’s gone,” Jemma admitted, a sob catching in her throat. Despite all she knew, it was still hitting her hard that Bucky was really gone as far as they knew. 

“I can’t either.” The two sat on the bed, leaning against one another as they grieved for the man they both loved.

~~

**February 1945**

“You look pale,” Peggy noted to Jemma.

Jemma paused her movements. She set down the tools in her hand before turning to face Peggy.

“I’m pregnant,” she said softly.

Peggy said nothing, merely folding the other woman into a tight hug. Jemma was starting to think that she was never going to end up back where she belonged. With Bucky gone and finding out she was expecting their baby, she never felt more alone than she did right at that moment.

~~

**April 1945**

Jemma had been feeling off all day. She was well into her second trimester of her pregnancy and despite saying she was well enough to work on things, Howard Stark had insisted she not be in the labs quite as much. She didn’t think it had anything to do with that. Perhaps she made merely eaten something that hadn’t agreed with her.

“You are really starting to show more,” Peggy noted with a soft smile as she walked over to Jemma, falling into step with her.

“That I am,” Jemma admitted as she rested a hand on the soft swell of her belly that was indeed starting to show beneath the dress she wore.

“You look pale though, is everything all right?” Peggy asked.

“I just feel…” Her voice trailed off as she felt something shift to her left. She glanced in that direction and thought she saw the air shimmering, as if heat were flowing upwards. This was different. She remembered that shimmer.

“Jemma?” Peggy asked.

Jemma slowly turned to Peggy. “Goodbye…” Blackness overtook her senses and she remembered hearing Peggy scream her name before she heard nothing at all.

~~

**May 2014**

“How can she possibly be pregnant?” she heard a very familiar voice asking. Skye’s voice sounded clouded, as if she were further away.

“If you need biology explained to you, maybe you should wait until Simmons is awake,” Fitz said, sounding a tad annoyed.

“I know how, you moron,” Skye sniped. “But I mean how can she be obviously pregnant, she was only gone for three days!”

“That… is a good question,” Fitz admitted. His voice was clearer, which meant that Jemma was slowly coming to.

“Because where I was, it was much longer than three days,” she managed to say.

“Simmons! Coulson!” Skye said overly loud.

“Ouch,” Jemma murmured.

“Sorry,” Skye said. She stepped to the side as Phil Coulson came into Jemma’s view as her eyes cracked open.

“There she is,” Coulson said, a relieved smile forming. He looked exhausted.

“Daddy, you look horrible,” Jemma murmured without thought. Her eyes widened as she realized what she said.

“They know,” Coulson said, giving her a sheepish grin. “After the time medallion pulled you to wherever you went, I… sort of flipped out.”

“No sort of about it, AC,” Skye said. “We finally pulled it out of him that you are his daughter.”

“Time medallion?” Jemma questioned. She pushed herself up, getting assistance from Skye and her father.

“That’s what we started calling it,” Coulson said.

“Are you sure you should be sitting up?” Fitz asked, worried.

Jemma rolled her neck, feeling it crack in a few spots as she did so. Other than some minor wooziness, she felt fine. She didn’t feel that off sensation any longer that she had felt in the past. Perhaps a side effect of knowing this time medallion would bring her back.

“I’m fine, Fitz,” Jemma said.

“And pregnant,” Skye said. “How…”

“Coulson?” 

Jemma turned towards the door, feeling her heart slam against her chest. Standing in the doorway was Steve Rogers, but it was the man behind him that made her heart beat faster. Longer hair, stubble, but it was still those achingly gorgeous eyes that had won her heart seventy years ago. Eyes that found hers and seemed to light up as recognition started to hit.

The man known to most in the room as the Winter Soldier, who just happened to be Bucky Barnes, pushed past Steve into the room. Steve had explained to them that he was slowly regaining some memories, but at times things were still quite fuzzy. His anchor point was definitely Steve, now that he admitted to remembering the man for the most part. His focus on Jemma concerned Coulson and the other members of his team, but they made no moves to stop him from moving closer; namely because Jemma didn’t seem in the least bit afraid of him.

“Jemma…” Her name slipped from his lips easily, as if he knew exactly who she was. His eyes flitted to the swell of her belly as she slipped off the table to stand facing him more.

“Bucky,” she whispered. “Do…”

“I remember,” Bucky said, stepping up to her. His left hand reached up, causing everyone to tense by Jemma. His touch was so gentle that she barely registered the fact that the hand was now metal that could crush bone. His right hand moved to touch her swollen belly, a question forming in his eyes.

“I found out after you were lost,” Jemma whispered. “I… I had no idea I would ever…” She bit her lip as emotions slammed into her hard. 

“I told you I was coming back to you,” he said. “I promised.”

Jemma laughed, the sound almost a half sob as tears slipped onto her cheeks. “You did,” she said. “I just never expected it would take you seventy years.”

Bucky moved closer, lowering his head to rest his forehead against hers. His longer hair obscured their features as he focused on her. “What’s a few decades between lovers?” he whispered.

“You are such an idiot,” Jemma said with a laugh. “You truly remember?”

Bucky lifted his head, rubbing her belly fondly. “Things are patchy,” he admitted. “But they are coming back. You… you I could never forget. It’s like… it’s almost like the moment I saw you, someone turned on a switch and it all came back.”

Jemma reached her hand up and pulled his head towards her. “I’m so glad,” she whispered before pressing her lips against his. She never thought she would ever have the chance to do so again. Bucky kissed her back, pulling her against him as gently as he could, feeling their child between them.

Neither parted, even as Fitz spoke aloud.

“Would someone mind explaining what the hell has just happened?”

**Author's Note:**

> For my head canon of Jemma that I've been evolving for other fic ideas is that her maternal grandmother is Peggy Carter and that her father is Phil Coulson.


End file.
